1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for imaging the inside of an object to be measured, by using an elastic wave.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and supersonic waves have been used to image an inner structure of a body or an object. New medical imaging methods have been developed to overcome limitation of the existing medial imaging field.
For example, a method for imaging a shear modulus within a body has been developed. According to this method, a wave generator, which generates a shear wave, is attached to a surface of a body, and the shear wave generated within the body through the wave generator is measured using MRI. Afterwards, the shear modulus within the body is imaged using displacement of the measured shear wave.
It is known that a cancer tissue within the body has a shear modulus different from a normal tissue due to its variable physical properties. Such a variation of physical properties is imaged using displacement of the shear wave that can be measured using MRI equipment, whereby many studies for new medical imaging are being made actively.
However, considering that the measured shear wave displacement data include noise, various shear modulus imaging methods, which have been conventionally developed, have a drawback in that it is difficult to image a real wrong tissue due to amplified noise.